Ibn al-Jawzee mentions in his book that One of the students of Imaam Ahmad asked him: ‘Yaa Abaa 3AbdAllaah, what is your view about these odes (poem) which mention Paradise and Hell?’

He asked, ‘Like what?‘ He said, ‘They say:

When my Lord asks me.. Are you not ashamed to disobey Me?….

He asked him to repeat it & he did it again. Then Ahmad stood up and went into his house and closed the door behind him. The student said, ‘I could hear him from inside the house weeping like a child, it was as though he would die from crying:

This was what recited to him (1)

may Allaah subhaanahu wa ta3aala make my scale heavy with good deeds on the day of Judgement & enter me to Jannah without accounts. aameen

أَتَيْــت إِلَيْك فَارْحَمْنِــي وَثقــّـل فِي مَوَازِيْنِي

I have come to you (in repentance) – so have mercy on me, and make heavy my scales (with good deeds)

وَخَـفَّف فِي جَزَائِــــي أَنْت أَرَجـى مِن يُجَازِيْنِي

And lighten my account – You are the best of who will bring me to account.

As I pack my belongings….. and get ready for this great Journey I cry with gratitude..…once more You’ve blessed me Tears flowing…..in ecstasy my heart flies My soul sings….my whole being cries Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

But what are these words….. what do they really mean?

Do I appreciate them?… Do I just repeat what I’ve seen? Do I really understand…. Do I even comprehend…. Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

Labbayk means I am here, Ya Rabbee…..I respond to Your call
With a heart full of hope….for that Mercy that envelops all
I’m here to serve You……I’m here to comply
To You I submit……until the day I die
Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

Labbayk means to change..…so that I live my life for You Whatever I say and do, from now on will only be to please You I will give up my evil ways I will fix my nights and days Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

But Labbayk also means…….I love you, Ya Rabbee Nothing else matters….but that You’re pleased with me Its Your Pleasure that I seek Though I’m so sinful and weak Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

Head bowed low…. remorseful, and so full of fear I am ashamed of my life….repentant, as I stand here Yearning your forgiveness I cry out in wretchedness….. Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

Will I change for the better….will I turn my life around? Or will I succumb to temptation, wherever it is found? When will I even begin to see The faults that are so obvious in me? Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

I’ll stop dealing in Ribaa….. I’ll give up my Haraam earning I’ll wear the Hijaab…… no more lying , no backbiting Never a single prayer will I neglect My character, I’ll make…upright and erect Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

For I don’t know when I’ll die and I don’t know where it will be But I hope I am in Ihraam….when the Angel comes to me ‘Cos if I die so, the Prophet told you and me when raised from the dead, my first words’ll be..… Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk

written by Asma bint Shameem

May Allaah subhaanahu wa ta3alaa give us the opportunity to go for Hajj. Ameen

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.

Like this:

Oh my self what will calm you? Can’t you remain patient for a day or two? I try to contain you but your strength overpowers But when we die life will seem like hours

So can’t you be patient for part of a day? And remain steadfast upon the straight way? The direction you’re taking leads to my worst fears Of the day we stand for fifty thousand years

No one will joke nor talk nor smile And the sun from our heads will be at a mile Nowhere to hide and nowhere to flee Standing for what seems an eternity

Then the judgment begins and the books will land Either on your right or your left hand

Oh my self …

Do not become like those who left the right track And put their left hands behind their back

Oh self

how do you plan to cross the siraat suspended in the air?

Craftier than a fox, sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair?

How do you plan to cross? Or will you cross at all? The blink of an eye? Run? Or would you rather crawl?

The bad deeds you command will drop you from it And only good deeds put you back upon it Oh self it’s a five hundred year-drop suspension Over a terrible place I’d rather not mention

Oh self…

Do not be fooled by this world and its illusions And keep in mind judgment, the grave and other conclusionsOh self wake up! Don’t follow your desire And ask for forgiveness to avoid the fire

Oh self

keep the commands and avoid prohibitions And pay close attention to these admonitions Be amongst those who were the best of planners Who prepared for the future with good deeds and good manners

Oh self

it simply about your control Being patient now so as to reach your goal I don’t mean to put a burden, or put much stress Just to warn of a day when the limbs confess

Sins add up as you live through the years

Then sadness won’t save you and nor will the tears

Every time you sin the Shaytan is winning

So remember the One against Whom you’re sinning

Oh my self…

Life is short and ends when you least expect it And then what will you say when you’re resurrected? The angel of death overlooked you and took the souls of your brothers And one day he’ll come to you and overlook others

For great rewards plant the righteous seeds Oh Allah, I seek refuge from the evil of my self and from the evil of my deeds.

A Talk with the SelfBeautiful poem by Brother Kamal El-Mekki about the Nafs.

It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah radi Allaahu 3anhu that the Messenger of Allaah sallAllaahu 3alayhi wa sallam said: “Souls are like recruited soldiers, those that recognise one another unite in harmony and those that do not recognise one another are at an aversion.” (1)

Abu Hatim said: “The reason that people find concordancy and harmony between themselves (after the Decree) lies in the recognition of two souls. And likewise, their discord and seperation lies in the aversion of the two souls. Hence if two souls recognise each other, they will find familiarity and affection between themselves and if there is aversion between the two souls they will in turn find aversion and seperation between their beings.

He said, “Because I love him and souls are like recruited soldiers, those that recognise one another unite in harmony and those that do not recognise one another are at an aversion.”

Abu Bakr al-Anbari recited:

Indeed the hearts are soldiers enlisted for Allaah Upon the earth, through affection do they recognise each other So those at a familiarity are held in harmony And those enstranged are at a difference

It is narrated from Qatadah (rahimah-Allaah) that he said regarding the verse of Allaah,

إِلاَّ مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ وَلِذَلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ

“Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy and for that did He create them.” (2)

He said: “(Created them) for mercy and obedience. As for the people of obedience, their hearts and desires are unified even though they may be distant from each other (living apart). And as for the people of disobedience, then their hearts are at a discord even though they may be closel gathered and living together”.

Mansoor al-Karizi:

Whatever the eyes and heart behold will be in affection
For neither the heart nor the eyes can be concealed
But they are only two souls, one in view of the other
So one recognises the other and hence they meet

Abu Hatim: The greatest sign that alludes to what a person is like in his daily affair is expressed through whom he befriends and whom he is at enmity with, because a person is on the path of his friend and birds of a feather only flock together. I have never seen something more indicative of another, moreso even than smoke indicating fire, as much as I’ve seen a companion allude to the reality of his companion.

The smart one avoids accompanying the doubtful one and he keeps away from the one whose Deen is questionable because whoever keeps in the company of a people is known by them and whoever lives with a person ends up being attributed to him. A man does not befriend except one who is like him or of his nature (i.e. in character). If a person does not find one to befriend from amongst the people, he seeks out one whose companionship will only beautify him and it will not disgrace him to be known by him. If he sees goodness from him, he counts it (and remembers it), and if he sees a bad thing he conceals it for him, and if he remains silent over it he’s the first to speak about it to him, and were he to ask of anything he would give it.

Indeed, from amongst Mankind is one who if a person were to see him, he would be amazed. And if he got to know him more, his amazement would increase. And from amongst them is one who has an aversion to another upon seeing him, and getting to know him only increases him in hostility. Their agreement is due to the agreement of their souls from aforetime, and their aversion is due to their souls’ aversion.

If two souls meet in affection and are then forced to depart with the departure of life without any hateful event or they depart due to death, then that there is shocking death and grevious pain. There has never been a moment of such prolonged grief, such apparant loss, lasting sorrow, deep sadness and lament more so than when two brethrens or beloveds are seperated.

And no-one has tasted a taste more bitter than when two close friends are seperated and it’s all over.

I wonder at the one who extends his right hand
To his beloved at the time of seperation and he hastens therein!
I felt weak and incapable of saying farewell when I saw him
So my heart shook his hand whilst my eye wept.

Share the khayr & be rewarded

Like this:

Close your eyes and imagine this
Eternal bliss,
your every wish,
at your finger tips
and more…

Perched on a throne, near a stream
So serene, and exquisite a scene
You’ve never seen
Yet you still dream
of more….

Gone is grief, gone is fear
Gone is pain, gone are tears
Idle speech you shall never hear
And the Prophets make up your social sphere
and more…

The martyrs, righteous and truthful too
You are from them, and they from you
They held tightly to what they knew was true
To accompany them, you did too
there’s more..

Maidens, chaste, who restrain their gaze
Lost in a glance for days and days
Fun and frolic, as a child plays
Where the breath that leaves your lips is praise
of the One that gave you more

Imagine you and your father, with ages the same
Imagine showing off your book with no shame
Imagine nights with the Companions, with their stories to entertain
Imagine Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) knowing your name
What could be there more..

Gardens underneath which rivers flow
A goal so far, and yet so close
A journey worth taking, for those who know
Do you not wish to go..
for more?

For all the bounties, all the grace
All the pleasures, sights, smells and tastes
Will be forgotten, without a trace
as if frozen in time and space
When you see His Face

What an excellent Master, of a miserable slave
You forgot and He forgave
He gave you guidance, you still strayed
You asked for mercy, that He gave
and more…

Qur’aanic Pearls

“The month of Ramadaan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion..."

[soorah al-Baqarah, v: 185]

Monthly Hadeeth

Prophet sallAllaahu 3Alayhi wa sallam said:

“When the first night of Ramadhaan comes, the doors of Paradise will be opened and the doors of Hell will be closed, and the devils will be chained, and it will be said, 'O you who desires virtue! Come forth and O you who desires evil! Stay behind', and Allaah has people whom He frees from Hell every night (in that month).".

[Al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]

Ramadaan Resources

Articles, notes & tips to maximize the time & getting best of Ramadaan

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jazakumAllaahu khayran